The Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar. In 2001, it falls on January 24. It can also fall on some day in February, or as late as March of the solar calendar, depending on if there is a "leap month" being added to the regular twelve months in a year. The Chinese New Year marks the beginning of the Spring Festival, which lasts for 15 days, and during which time family members who are no longer living in the same village will try to come home for a family reunion. Many of the farmers are working in neighboring towns or mines during the winter months when there is no farming activities going on.

During the Spring Festival all factories or mines will be closed so that the workers can attend to their family activities. It also allow women who are married to families in other villages to come home for a family visit. Household repairs are done at this time, and decorations are added to welcome a new year. Picture below shows high school students who study in a nearby town coming home from their boarding school bringing with them bedding and belongings.

There will be feasting at home. The best and nutritious food will be consumed at this time. Outdoors, some towns will host Temple Fairs, where entertainment will be provided, and more good food will be sold. Though Temple Fairs are no longer organized by temples, the traditional name is still retained with the people. There are also Opera Fairs, where people gather to appraise the merits of the singing styles of different opera-singing troupes. Below, in one such gathering, a huge crowd is drawn to hear the voice of a male singer (left), and that of a blind man (right).

The size of the gathering is shown by picture on the right.

The Spring Festival ends on the 15th day of the month, a day when the moon is full. [Lunar calendar is arranged in such a way that each month begins with the new moon, and by the 15th the moon is full. It is relatively easy to keep track of the day of the month by looking at the shape of the moon at night, and plan on what to do the next day.] On the last day of the Spring Festival people celebrate its conclusion in the evening with the Lantern Festival, or Yuan Xiao 元宵, during which time a specially prepared food, a sweet dumplings made of glutinous rice flour, is served. Making of the small marble-size sweet dumplings is a family activity, children and grownups alike, which brings the family members together once again before they depart the next day to return to their regular business.